By Richard Thomas
Rating: B+
(Credit: Kurt Maitland)
All fans of smoky Islay whisky jumped for joy (honestly, if they did not were they really fans?) when Laphroaig announced they were reviving their historical core expression, the middle rung 15 Year Old single malt. This is such good news, a brief summary of the Laphroaig Distilery’s background is called for by way of getting to just what the standing of this 15 Year Old is.
The distillery was started in 1815 by Donald and Alexander Johnston, the same year as the Battle of Waterloo and several years before a British tax reform measure effectively legalized the Scotch industry. It remained in the Johnston family until the mid-1950s. Upon the death of descendant Ian Hunter, the distillery was left to its then manager, Bessie Williams. She sold it in the 1960s to Long John International, which in turn was acquired in the 1970s by Whitbred (which had been in the booze business once upon a time, but now focuses on hotels). That is the start of a change of ownership about once a decade, until the distillery finally landed in the possession of Beam Global in 2011, which was later bought by Suntory.
The name “Laphroaig” means broad bay in Gaelic, and the distillery site is indeed located on the seaside. The equipment there are three sets of wash stills and four sets of spirit stills, with one of the four being approximately twice the size of the other three. The still design across the board is noted for its squat onion ball base and tall, conical necks, emphasizing reflux in distillation (the condensation of spirit so it can drip back down into the pot for repeated vaporization)
(Credit: Suntory Global Spirits)
The 15 Year Old was Laphroaig’s middle rung expression, so more mature than its 10 Year Old or Quarter Cask, but not as expensive as older expressions. Laphroaig 15 was always popular, but especially with the then Prince of Wales, now Charles III. For decades, it was the only single malt to receive a Royal Warrant, which is a declaration that it was an official choice of the Royal Family. That it held that status makes its discontinuance in 2009 peculiar. The reasons for the move have never been made public; for my doubt, I do not think supply issues explain it, since 2009 was long before the World Whiskey Boom really began. As a frame of personal reference, I acquired my very last bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old that year, after paying MSRP and having put myself on a waiting list in 2008, the point being it was that simple in those days.
The expression was revived in 2015 for the 200th Anniversary of the distillery. That the powers that be chose the 15 Year version and not something older to mark that occasion should tell you something about the reputation surrounding it.
The Scotch
The 46% ABV pour has the common golden coloring. One of the pluses of a 15 Year Old versus the younger expressions is that more maturation in a peated single malt tends to moderate the smoke. That shows itself here from the beginning start, the scent coming across as a sweet mixture of honey and citrus accented with ginger and vanilla, with just a hint of peat. The nose is sticky and oily scent, but balanced and welcoming.
The mouthfeel has a velvety texture. The flavor delivers that citrus zest and hint of peat again, while the spices go from ginger to peppery. On the back end a pinch of dried tobacco leaf comes up, rounding things out very nicely. The finish leaves a light, but spicy afterglow.
The Price
The MSRP on a bottle of Laphroaig 15 is set at $89. That is a blessing to Islay fans, because bottles of antique, discontinued 15 Year Old and the 200th Anniversary bottling commanded hundreds of pound sterling on the resale market. I imagine speculators hanging onto those bottles were crying over the revival announcement.
